Year 6 maths planning

Hi
I'm new to Year 6 this year and am finding it quite difficult to know where to start my maths planning from. We won't be having a normal beginning to the school year as our TAs are being utilised elsewhere the first week. This means normal groupings etc will have to wait until the second week. I'm thinking of doing some sort of 'finding' out lessons for the first 4 days we are teaching. Does anyone else do this, or something similar? Would anyone be kind enough - if they do - to let me have a look at their planning as I've no idea where to begin(I think I've got some sort of brain freeze). I would be eternally grateful and would swap some of my planning in return - been in Year 3,4,5 previously.

do you use the framework site. Not a popular choice with everyone but it gives a starting point. Finding out is a good idea. My school has very detailed assessment system so I know where each child left off in July. Taking the summer holiday slide into account, I usually spend the first week going over the basics with a bit of problem solving thrown in.
Also ask the children, they will know where their strengths and weaknesses are (some exaggerate but you will find them out very quickly)

have you thought about doing some investagation work? This link (I hope) is the link which takes you to the puzzles and problems bit from the strategies. http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/85260
There are puzzles for year 5/6 and also puzzles for year 3/4 so if you work out that some children are struggling later in the week you could still give them investigations to do. Also the ngfl cmyru site is amazing this is a link to some more problem solving stuff.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc_-_ks2_-_maths_-_problem_solving
I like investigations because you can easily have children working in groups and using and applying / working methodically are traditionally (with my children anyway) things that they struggle the most with in maths.
Hope it helps!
P

Many thanks for the suggestions so far - I've got the puzzles/problems laminated as they were something Ithought I'd use too. I'l definitely have a look at the other site too. I have some idea where my kids are but I think it is still worth seeing where they are for myself.

do you use the framework site. Not a popular choice with everyone but it gives a starting point. Finding out is a good idea. My school has very detailed assessment system so I know where each child left off in July. Taking the summer holiday slide into account, I usually spend the first week going over the basics with a bit of problem solving thrown in.
Also ask the children, they will know where their strengths and weaknesses are (some exaggerate but you will find them out very quickly)

Click to expand...

Nail and head come to mind.
The framework site for maths is really useful in giving you a nice structure to your year. You will find as you go on that you might like to spend more time on certain areas and adjust accordingly.

I usually spend the first week going over some basics as well. Some mini-assessments on the type of level I would like them to be at the end of the year.

I also trialled a system last year where I didn't ability group them. They chose the task they thought would help their learning, either by practising, supporting or challenging. The three task levels were planned and I had an idea of who would probably choose each one. Some children needed some guidance, I had falsely assumed they would go for the easy option, when in fact most wanted to try the challenge. It worked well in Y6 (92% L4, 48% L5) and a colleague tried inY2 and found the same thing happened, most wanted to try the challenge. A couple of boys went for the easy option, got bored and changed to the challenge!

Aw pumpkin - I would be so grateful. I've made a start but this is my third year of teaching and I've not been in Year 6 before (I was in Year 3,4,5 in my NQT year). I usually just go straight in with normal planning - but I feel in Year 6 a better approach might be to find out where they are and I keep planning, then deleting. Then I decide I should just go in with normal planning here too. Grrr! Very frustrating. If there's anything I can do for you - just ask. My email address is:rachelle@supawoman.com
Many thanks again. )

Hi Pumpkin pie,
I feel awful jumping on the bandwagon but would you mind if I had a copy of your plans aswell. I'm moving up to Year 6 too. I've also looked at Hamilton (confusing), 100 Maths lessons and the Strategy site and I don't know where start!!
Thanks ever so much.Gratzia5@gmail.com